About Cal Skinner

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To do the duties that their nemesis, newly-elected Township Supervisor Linda Moore, took over from their former leader Township Supervisor John Rossi. The Trustees voted to shift those duties from Moore to Fender.

Thursday night her proposed contract is on the agenda.

It has a section containing ten months’ severance pay and full benefits, if she is fired “without cause.”

Click to enlarge either portion of this section of Township Administrator Pam Fender's proposed contract, which is on the Township Board's agenda Thursday night at 7 PM at the Huntley Park District Building. Neither this document nor any other part of the board packet is posted on the Grafton Township web site.

The question has yet to be decided whether the Township Trustees had the power to hire Fender.

Moore filed a Separation of Powers suit to clarify what powers she has as Chief Executive Officer of the township (or “CEO,” as Judge Michael Caldwell described her position in the recent court skirmish which sent Moore back to the office from which the Trustees had evicted her).

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Map of where the annual Grafton Township meeting will be held next Tusday night.

If you would like to see the agenda for next Tuesday’s Annual Town Meeting, click here.

The meeting will start at 7 PM and be held at the Huntley High School. Every registered voter in the township has as much power as any other, included elected officials, at this meeting.

I have a headache and it is named “Grafton Township Trustees Don’t Get It”.

From what I’ve read in the past, the person was hired as an at will employee.

The Trustees chose to not post the position which left those who may have been more qualified out in the cold. I’m guessing it’s legal though I doubt the wisdom of giving the Public another reason to think about “Chicago Style Hiring”.

The Trustees are well aware of the legal battles going on within Grafton. Did they have the legal right to hire in the first place? A judge will soon decide. Soon….which means they could wait until the judge decides. Instead, what’s going on reminds me of what happened when the judge didn’t like it that those in charge in 2009 seemed to be dancing around what he had ordered. Is this another dance except before the judge has a chance to speak?

What happens if the judge says that hiring wasn’t part of their duties and the Supervisor shouldn’t have been bypassed or worked around? Would the judge’s ruling void the hiring? Would the judge’s ruling void the upcoming contract? There are a number of possibilities. How do you define “cause”? Would all of the nonsense that’s been in the papers be more than enough to fit the word “cause”?

A 10 month salary and benefits severance package is what many would call obscene in today’s work world. This severance would be paid for with OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY – aka Grafton Township Residents/Taxpayers Money!

Elected Trustees, what are you thinking?

If you, Trustees, think this is an excellent business decision (and not an insult to the people), perhaps you, Trustees, should pay for the severance out of your own pockets? Based on this possible/pending/in force contract, the Taxpayers should also get more “in your face” as far as watching every darned penny you spend. This is the Public’s money and not your private “Money Grows on Trees Lemonade Stand”. Do you really think the Public will trust you to made big decisions (like a new building) if you’re patting yourselves on the back about the 10 month severance contract?

Get a grip on your egos Trustees, the Public can’t afford them or you.

Cal, Linda Moore recently moved Trudy Jurs into a newly created position that pays twenty thousand dollars a year more than what Fender is earning. I also heare it may be a no-show job. Will you please post a copy of Trudy’s contract? Enquiring minds want to know. Where is the outrage? Kettle, meet pot.

10 months serverance is way out of line. The most I see for people who have YEARS of service is 6 months and more often 3. C Kay is eating her Kool Aid flakes again….never addressing the the subject and attacking windmills… This contract is obviously being drawn this way as the trustees really believe their administrator will be forced by the electors and/or the courts to “go away” They will make us pay one way or the other. These trustees have no moral logic. Kay, stop smoking Pot.

C Kay, where’s the outrage. The outrage is people like you not reviewing the facts. You are more interested in throwing mud and pointing fingers, instead of reviewing the facts. In the real world, name 2 or 3 people you know who get 10 months severance pay for working less than 6 months. Maybe Enron or other similair corporations. Outrageously funny Kay. Keep drinking the Kool-aid.

Not interested in facts huh? That’s interesting since the facts are being CRIMINALLY INVESTIGATED against Supervisor Moore. Why does no one who supports Moore ever address the facts about the criminal proceedings/investigations that are going on against Moore? All supporters of Moore can talk about is “the building”. What about Moore working from home, moving the phone numbers from the township office, as well as the long list of other censures that are being investigated? What about the computer records mysteriously disappearing?

Lueth – “Throwing mud and pointing fingers?” Compare the hiring of Fender and the promotion/hiring of Jurs. One hiring was made to do the duties that Linda REFUSED to do. The other hiring was for God knows what. Is there a need for a forty hour per week assistant to help with a handful of residents looking for GA/EA? Has anyone seen the contract job contract Linda gave Trudy Jurs? Where is the tranparency that was Linda’s campaign promise? Where is the outrage? Oh yeah . . . Linda can do no wrong. Where is the outrage over the antics of Linda while in office? Wiping out computer files, moving phone lines, lieing to Girl Scouts, stealing not only one-but two hard drives, misdirecting residents in need away from the Grafton Food Pantry, etc., etc. Oh yeah, Linda can do no wrong. Everyone keep your eye on the ball and keep yammering about about a building. Keep drinking the Coyne Station Kool-Aid. Still waiting for that long list of Linda’s accomplishments while in office. Pass me a cup of that Kool-Aid and maybe I will begin to think Linda is in office for the good of the community.

I have no problem with your pointing people to the First Electric Newspaper, but the most recent article does not mention the proposal for ten months’ severance pay for the Township Administrator, who has been in her job two months.